All Over Town
by TheParable
Summary: Bella Swan and Edward Cullen; two strangers with heavy hearts both looking for something in a faraway destination. When Bella's car breaks down, can the two work together to fix their mess and help each other with deeper issues? *ONE SHOT*


**A/N: Well, hello.. Okay, so the first thing you should know is that this is not a proper fanfiction. I wrote this a while ago for school, obviously things were a little different.. well, there was no Edward and Bella - but I always had them in mind. It's not very long, and each part is a little shot of what could have been a huge story. I made it short and sweet by picking out the main points. Anyway, it's not beta'd and yes - I am British, so the places in here are in England! **

* * *

><p><span>All Over Town<span>

"_..looks like a storms coming in soon, folks, and a nasty one at that. Better keep your wee ones inside and don't forget to listen out for our road warnings. Wouldn't want to be caught driving in it but-"_

Nothing could be heard but the thrashing of the rain surrounding the car and the silent curse Violet made as she flipped the radio off in frustration. She wouldn't be able to get there quick enough and it would be dangerous to travel through the storm. _My karma is seriously wacked _she thought as she peered into the sky through the rain covered windshield.

The wind howled and Bella couldn't help but wonder how she'd come to be in Carlisle. She and her father had travelled a lot together, exploring lands. _Not anymore_ she thought and a melancholy feeling filled the air. She had to clear her mind, she knew, to fulfil the experience.

Hands tightening on the steering wheel, Bella sped through the liquid haze trying to escape the rural surroundings and get away as fast as possible. She drove for what seemed like days, but had managed to circle back into the town through the confusion of the mass amounts of fields. She hadn't seen much of the town but she knew she could go a lifetime without seeing its surrounding landscapes again. It was hard for her to find the beauty in it, like before, but she couldn't help it. _It's not the same._

Bella crawled through the streets of Carlisle, the scattered beings going home or, most likely, readying to socialise for the evening, only slightly registering. She had decided to pull into the upcoming station when the unthinkable happened. _No! God, no, please, please, no! _The smoke wafted up from the bonnet of the vehicle, blurring the outside world as her thoughts screamed and cussed. _This cannot be happening!_ People were starting to stare as she made no move to get out of the car, but she couldn't have cared less as she slumped onto the steering wheel in defeat. She couldn't understand how everything had gone so terribly wrong. Her life had taken a turn for the worse and this was just being kicked while she was down.

Edward rapped lightly on the window of the offensive vehicle. He had been in a rush to escape the station and the dead beat area when he'd had to slam his brakes to stop from hitting the car. He'd grumbled his way over, readying to tell the offender exactly where to stick it, when he noticed the way the car groaned restlessly and the cloud of smoke. Peering in through the window he was shocked to see the woman slumped over the steering wheel, long, dark hair fanning out over her. He had hesitated before deciding to knock, unsure if she was harmed. It surprised him, the worry, but he blamed it on his nerves. He really needed to get out of there soon.

Bella's head shot up at the noise, but her body still sagged, unwilling to move. She was met with a pair of the brightest green eyes, and even though she saw them through the glass of the window, she knew they would be beautiful. She snapped back into reality when the man motioned for her to roll down her window.

"Erm," Edward coughed awkwardly. "you alright?" he quickly glanced away, but not before noticing the deep chocolate haze of her eyes.

"Yes, er, thank you," before Bella could get out anything else the stranger nodded slightly before briskly making an exit.

_Was that it?_ He hadn't offered her help, not that she had any right to expect him to, _but jeez! _She knew she was stuck and stared after the man as he quickly became drenched in rain. Before she let herself talk her out of it, she jumped out from the confines of her car and made a dash for the stranger.

The bell signalling arrival on the door chimed a quickly after Edward's entrance in the station. He knew he may have seemed rude to the woman, but he didn't really care. Her car would be stuck there until somebody had it moved, and for now he was stuck behind it. Sighing, he sat down in the café area, grabbing a paper and quickly opening it. He heard the scrape of the chair against the floor, and knew it was the woman from the car immediately. He didn't know why.

"So, hi," Bella started. _This is so awkward!_

"Hello." His response didn't imply she could continue and he still hadn't looked up.

"So my car has broken down..." She chewed her lip not really knowing how to finish but her words had at least made him look up.

"Yes, I know, I'm stuck behind you." She glanced downwards. She knew, she had noticed while following him. When she looked back to see his expression, she couldn't help but take a moment to really look at him.

He was handsome, that was for sure, looking not much older, if not the same age, as her. His hair, a strange copper colour, sat unruly on his head, slightly curling at the edges. She noticed, again, the brightness of his eyes followed by the angles of his face and the almost perfection of his features. There was a scar running through his left eye brow, splitting it in two. His shirt was drenched and she could see he was muscular but not outrageously so.

In other words, he was gorgeous._ Godly, more like._

When she glanced back to his face, his raised eyebrow made her blush and she wriggled uncomfortable in her seat.

"I don't think my car's going to make it out of Carlisle." Bella decided to say it straight, not really knowing what she was asking this stranger with the statement.

The man bent forward, leaning across the table with an unreadable expression. The situation was completely bizarre and she couldn't quite understand what she was doing with the man in the first place, but the wariness she was supposed to feel just wasn't there.

She assumed he would say something but he just kept staring at her. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze and after a good five minutes her hope, whatever she had hoped for, fell. Sighing, she pushed herself to stand and turned to leave when a hand grabbed her wrist. Looking back, the man seemed stricken before finally speaking.

"Where are you headed?" he seemed shocked by his own words.

"Canterbury."

Edward was confused by the woman in front of him. He hadn't felt the irritation women usually brought him and he had to admit he had stared for an embarrassingly long amount of time.

He took in the milky white of her skin; he could find no blemish, her skin perfect and smooth. Her hair was a dark brown, a deep russet colour, and fell to the centre of her back. It was curly, yet somehow straight. Her eyes were pools of chocolate; he recognised the colour from the first time, shining flecks swimming in the brown. Her features were soft and she was undeniably pretty.

When she had told him her destination, he stared incredulously. They were headed for the same place, or at least for now they were. _You can't seriously be thinking…_but the thought stopped short. Because Edward was thinking what he knew he shouldn't. _She'd be an inconvenience. _He had no idea why, but he just couldn't leave her stranded. _What the hell is wrong with me!_

"Edward," he introduced offering her his hand.

"Bella," _Bella, it suits her._

"So, Bella, I'm heading the same way as you… I hope you don't find this weird… I was rude before but-" Bella softly squeezed his hand and he let out a breath when she offered him a smile. He coughed before turning to leave, knowing she'd follow and began to be distant once again.

Bella had been right, the car had been on its last legs and finally gave up. The mechanics who had towed it away had been surprised it had lasted her that long. When the owner of the garage offered her cash for its parts, she'd eagerly agreed, needing the money now more than ever.

The rain had let up a little a few hours into their journey, but not enough for the drive to be considered safe. Not to mention the reports that had been warning people to get ready for it to become worse.

She had sat tensely next to Edward, because although she wasn't scared, she still had no idea what to say to him. It made her smile for a second, to think how her father would have reacted to her whereabouts. If he really wanted to hurt her, she thought, or at least hoped, he would have done it by now and he really didn't seem like the serial killer type. _Is there a type? _Her mind rambled on but focused on her need to get to Canterbury, and she really did need to hurry up and get there.

She had spoken with him a few times, and each time he had intrigued her. It was like every time he began to loosen up, he'd realise and shut himself off again. She couldn't help but stare at him from the corner or her eye.

"I love this song," Bella smiled as the beautiful lyrics poured out of Edward's car radio.

"You know Bon Iver?" He had turned to look at her, and she smiled lightly at his interest.

"I've never been into favourites, but yes, my favourite," something changed in his eyes, she noticed, and both of them grinned, turning back towards the road. The stereo must have been connected to some sort of iPod considering how different the types of songs were. Bella surprised Edward with her knowledge of the music, from artist and bands like The Clash, Bob Dylan, Ed Sheeran and even the few classical tracks like Debussy and Yiruma. They listened to song after song and both Violet and Edward could feel the bond between them grow.

"You jinxed my car!" Edward yelled out. They had been driving for many hours and it was almost morning but the rain had still not let up.

"No I did not!" She huffed back at him, and he noticed how soaked they both were, standing outside his car, staring at the engine.

"How bad is your karma that you broke TWO cars in one day, that's got to be a lot even for you!" She noticed how he spoke of her as if they'd known each other forever.

He knew they couldn't continue driving, even without the breakdown of another car, the roads were too bad and he was too tired. Sighing, he shut the bonnet of the car and pulled her towards the building they had stopped by when his warning light began flashing.

"It's late, we'll stay the night. I have a friend nearby who can fix this and well, yeah, you know…" He mumbled the last of his sentence.

Bella was irritated that they couldn't keep going, but who could blame the man. They had been driving for a solid six hours, not to mention how many he must have driven beforehand. They were tired and needed rest.

She followed him to the counter of the small premiere inn where they would spend the night. She was nervous about the room situation – she hardly knew the man – but was relieved when he asked for two beds. They awkwardly walked into the room together and Edward quickly offered her the bathroom first. When they had both finished, they had no energy to do anything but crawl under the covers. She momentarily wondered who his friend might have been, a girlfriend, maybe? They were somewhere in Milton Keynes, she knew, and she wondered how many different places he had friends.

"Why are you going to Canterbury?" Bella turned to face him in the bed next to her. She couldn't help but notice how beautiful and _regal _he looked where the moonlight washed over him as she contemplated her answer. She turned onto her back to face the ceiling.

"My dad," she stopped for a second, she didn't need to prevent tears; she hadn't any left. "He, well he died. He was," she closed her eyes remembering, "the most important person in my life. I did everything with him, you know? It's just that the anniversary is – well soon, and Canterbury…" she didn't finish, she couldn't.

"Canterbury?" He asked softly.

"Was important." Time passed slowly before Bella turned the question to her companion.

"Lots of reasons," she glanced at his sad face and her heart hurt for him. She could tell he had suffered, she didn't know how, but she could tell.

Edward appreciated that she hadn't pushed him. He didn't want to go into his life story with her, not with anybody. He was messed up, and so was his past and he really didn't think highly of putting it on other people. But she had told him something so he would try to give her at least a little something.

"I just… I think if I go to Canterbury, I just need to be there, and I think I could let everything go. I could forget, move on." Bella understood.

Emmett McCarty had known Edward for many years, making the call for help not too surprising. It was true, he hadn't heard from him for a while now, but a meet was far overdue for such close friends.

The two had grown up together; they were brothers in every way but blood. Emmett could recall his youth, the little moments and the bigger ones. Edward and Emmett had been through a lot together, Emmett had been with Edward through his tougher times. Emmett considered them as each other's rocks.

He was close enough to walk to his friend and wondered why he was staying in the inn, considering the numbers on his bank statements. He had his tools in his right hand as he made his way to the car he recognised as Edward's

"That should do it," Emmett had been working on the car for about half an hour. Bella found him to be a very fun loving guy, immediately teasing her. She saw the shocked look on his face as she greeted him but chose to ignore it, knowing Edward must have rarely done this. _Did people normally pick and not harm up strange girls?_

Emmett was a burly man, with short dark hair and hazel eyes. He wore a wicked smile and made Bella laugh in a matter of seconds. The fact he was a guy also relived her, considering how awkward it would have been had it _really_ been a girlfriend.

Edward smiled at his old friend and bumped him on the back. He hadn't seen him in a while and it was a nice change.

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it." They both smiled at the woman beside them when she piped up and thanked him too. Edward had told him about her effects on cars and Emmett had immediately begun to tease.

On saying goodbye, Bella promised to keep in contact with Emmett, and she smiled wide as they drove off knowing she had made a new friend.

Travelling down the M25, Bella frowned at how quickly the miles were going. She was crazy, she knew, for this had been exactly what she wanted. She had wanted to get there as quick as possible but she couldn't help but feel like she wanted the journey to never end. Little did she know her neighbour was having the same thoughts.

She peered over at him, noticing how tight his hands where on the wheel. She didn't say anything; she was too paranoid she was annoying him. She had mostly began their conversations and would wait.

Edward felt incredibly tense. He was confused by what he was feeling; it was so new to him. He didn't want to stop, or more, he didn't want to end their time together, whatever it was. He had had an interesting time, but now he had no idea what to do. He cleared his throat, trying to think of something to say.

"Erm, I was thinking. You're going to Canterbury, I'm going to Canterbury – I mean there's no point in going to places on your own, I mean how stupid-"

"Edward," she stopped his rambling and he composed himself a little.

"Why don't we do it together? I mean, I know my way around, and I could try to help you find what you're looking for," she knew he meant the peace of mind for her father, "and maybe… maybe you could help me too." Their eyes met as the car slowed at traffic.

"Yes, I think – I think I'd like that."

Taking the turning into Canterbury, both were hesitant. Neither knew how to act or feel. _How do we do it?_ They both thought. Two complete strangers, a city that only had place in their darkest and brightest memories, and the heavy weight that rested on their shoulders._ Is there a specific way to do it?_

Tentatively, they both got out of the car they had spent so long in. The sky was a dull grey, not exactly inviting but a nice change from stormy downpour. Slowly, Edward's hand came into contact with Bella's, and she smiled to herself as he enclosed her palm in his.

They stepped in toward the sea of people and Jonah was a little surprised so many came out in the grey. They made slow steps toward the city, images flashing though each of their minds. Memories they held of their surroundings were being brought to life and slowly drifted away.

Gaining more confidence, their timid steps turned into strides and their hearts began to beat in time with an unknown drum as they finally began to heal.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I hope it wasnt too bad! Review and tell me what you guys think! #B<strong>


End file.
